DAVID Rose might not have been serving in any of the armed forces but his family back in the Port were every bit as worried about his safety when the Falklands conflict began.

Because, at the age of just 19, he was the one of the youngest men to serve in the brave Merchant Navy contingent which volunteered to enter what became the deadly waters of the South Atlantic.

As the 25th anniversary of the conflict approaches, his dad Brian recalls for the Pioneer that exciting and frightening time.

David had joined the merchant service as an engineer a few years earlier and when Great Britain launched its Task Force to take back the islands his ship, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ship Bayleaf, was one of the first to answer the call of duty.

Brian, of Eagle Lane, Little Sutton, remembered: 'The fleet auxiliary ships provide the supply line for the fleet and David's was a tanker loaded with thousands of gallons of fuel for the aircraft that went to the Falklands on the two aircraft carriers, like the Harriers and helicopters.

'When things started the Bayleaf was in the Med and it moved immediately to take on supplies in Gibraltar.

'In Gibraltar the ship's crew were given the chance of getting off before it sailed for the Falklands as they weren't part of the services.

'Only five took up the offer and the rest, including David, went on to join the Task Force.'

Dad Brian remembers how he and the rest of the family back at home carefully plotted the progress of the Bayleaf as it arrived at its destination.

He said: 'The ship docked in a number of locations around the islands and, of course, was a prime target for the Argentines as it was full of fuel.

'While it was in San Carlos Bay it was bombed a couple of times by their planes and there were a couple of near misses but everything was okay in the end.'

Throughout the campaign fuel from the Bayleaf provided the vital life's blood of the aircraft covering the fleet, including world famous liner the QE2 being used as a troop transporter, and the soldiers and Royal Marines a shore.

Soon after the conflict David Rose was proud to be awarded the distinctive Falklands medal for the important part he had played in the campaign.

He stayed in the Merchant Navy for another 15 years or so before moving to work on oil rigs in the North Sea and off Malaysia.

Now in his forties, he lives in Thailand where he was married earlier this year.